In addition to talking about the salary/money that you will earn from a job in a job interview, it is also important to know what the benefits (services or payments in addition to the salary, commission and the bonus) and conditions (working hours, holidays etc...) of the job are.
Some of these benefits and conditions are negotiable (they can be changed), but the majority aren't. Normally, the interviewer will tell you what they are at the end of the interview or when you have been offered the job.
In this second part of two online exercises on job salary and conditions, you are going to learn the English vocabulary that is used when talking about benefits and conditions in a job interview. Although the focus here is on job interviews, this vocabulary can also be used outside of them.
Click here to go to the first part of this exercise (which focuses on salary/money vocabulary)
Click here to see more of our free online exercises on CVs/resumes and job interviews
Read the following conversation between an interviewer and interviewee about the benefits and conditions of a job in a job interview.
From the context, try to guess what the meaning of the words/phrases in bold are. Then do the quiz at the end to check if you are right.
Interviewer:'So, you agree with the salary we are offering you for the job?'
Interviewee:'Yes I do. There is something that I would like to ask you. How many days of holiday would I be entitled to?'
Interviewer:'For this position you will receive 30 days of paid holiday each year. There's no restriction on when you can take them. So, you can take a day off or two weeks off at any time you want.'
Interviewee:'Does the 30 days of paid holiday include bank holidays like Christmas Day or May Day?'
Interviewer:'No, you receive 30 days in addition to all the bank holidays in the year. You are also paid for the bank holidays as well.'
Interviewee:'How many hours a week would I be working?'
Interviewer:'Well, the job is full-time, so that would be 35 hours a week. That does not include the one hour for lunch.'
Interviewee:'In my current job I do flexitime. I can work the hours when I prefer to. Normally, I start at 11am and finish at 7pm. Would it be possible to do the same here?'
Interviewer:'I am afraid that for this position there is no flexitime. So you would have to start at 9am and finish at 5pm. Also, I need to mention about the dress code at the office. If you are meeting with clients then you have to wear formal business clothes. But if not, then the dress code is smart casual. You don't have to wear a suit or tie, but you can't wear jeans or t-shirts.'
Interviewee:'It is the same where I currently work.'
Interviewer:'The last thing I need to tell you about is the benefits package that comes with the job.'
Interviewee:'Is there a pension scheme?'
Interviewer:'Yes there is. The company pays money into a private pension scheme which you will start to receive when you retire at 67. With the position, you will also be entitled to private health insurance. The company will pay for you to see a private doctor and go to a private hospital for any treatment.'
Interviewee:'Does the benefits package include a company car?'
Interviewer:'Yes, the company will provide you with your own car to use for general travel and business trips. Plus, you will be paid for all your expenses when you are on business trips, like buying meals and staying in hotels.'
Interviewee:'Do you have a share scheme?'
Interviewer:'Yes, each year you can buy some of the company's shares at a reduced price. Both the share scheme and the private medical insurance are opt in. So it is your decision if you want to do it or not. Also, because you live in Edinburgh and the job is in Paris, we will provide you with a relocation package to pay for you to move to Paris and to stay in a hotel until you find a flat or house.'
Match the words/phrases in bold from the above text to each of the definitions/descriptions below. Click on the "Check" button at the bottom of the quiz to check your answers.
When the answer is correct, two icons will appear below the answer. The "" icon contains extra information on the word/phrase. In the "" icon, you can listen to the pronunciation of the word/phrase.
Now that you understand the meaning of the words/phrases and when to use them, practise using them by creating your own sentences with them in English. Also click on the "" icon under each correct answer and listen how each is pronounced correctly.
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